Improved wringing-machine



@Nitrit-n! STATES PATENT firmer..

IIEMAN GLASS, OF HONEOYE FALLS, NEW YORK.

EMPROVED WRINGING-MACHINE.

Speeilieathin forming part of Letters Patent No. 3%),l4l, dated July 7, 1863.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HEMAN GLASS, of Houeoye Falls, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Wringing Clothes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to tbe accompanying drawings, making part of this specication. 7 i

Figure 1 is afroutclevation of my improved machine, the upper portion being shown in section; Fig. 2, a bottom view of same; Fig. 3, a central transverse vertical section, showing the device as applied to the side ot' a tub.

Like letters of rei'ercnce indicate correspending parts in all the figures.

My improved machine is of that character in which the clothes are passed between elastic rollers for expressing the water; and my invent-ion consists, essentially, in the arrangement and combination of the several parts constituting the holding and clamping device.

In ordinary devices the machine is secured to the side ofthe tub by means ot' a clamp made up of two part-s-f-viz., the leg or end standard of the frame, and a lever jointed thereto and operated by a sciew, which forces the lower ends ofthe two parts together, thus embracing the side of the tub. rlhis arrangementis subject to several objections: It is expensive, the cost in the aggregate greatly exceeding what it should in a machine for so simple a purpose. It cannot be applied to the tub without considerable difliculty by inexperienced persons, and when applied it is subject to derangement, working loose by the constant, action to which it :is exposed in wringing. In most, though perhaps not all, devices this difficulty is aggravated by the space between the lever and the leg being of wedge shape, decreasing upward, so that the machine is constantly rising up and becoming detached. I propose to obviate these objections by the following arrangement: The legs or end standards, A A, are substantially of the shape represented, being connected together on one side by a brace, a, and on the other by a cross support, b, near the bottom, with which support is connected the clamp, as will presently be described. Between these standards arc mounted two ordinary elastic rollers, B and B', the former rigid and pro-I vided with a winch, C, and the latter adjusting in the. manner and by the means hereinafter described. The standards A A are of sufficient width to allow a central vertical opening or cut, c, to be made, thus having shanks d el', as shown. These openings are of the proper width and depth to Vreceive the edge of the tub or receptacle to which the macbineis applied. The edges ofthe shanks d d', bounding the opening c, are made beveling, the former on the outside and the latter on the inside, as 1"epresented at ff', Figs. 2 and 3, for a purpose hereinafter described. Inside the cross support b, and on the same horizontal plane with it, is a clamp, Gr, whose curvature is sufficient to allow it to be fitted to any tub, and which is connected with the support both by guide-pins g g, sliding in holes therein, and by elastic strips It li, or equivalent, on the bottom for producing the proper reaction of the clamp. Passing through the support at each end is a thumb-screw, i, whose end rests against the clamp and clamps it to the tub. Among the advantages of this arrangement are the following:

First. The device is exceedingly cheap, being composed onl yof the notched wooden standdard A, clamp G, and tightelling-screws, thus avoiding the hinged iron levers or clamps of other devices, with their necessary adjusting or expanding parts, which necessitate a large extraaggregate cost.

Second. Being so simple, it is easily applied to the tub, and by the most inexperienced person, and when applied it docs not work loose by the action of the machine, as is the case where hinged levers or clamps are used, especially if the clamps form a wedging space to receive the edge of the tub, as is found in most devices. The opening c that receives the side of the tub being formed in the solid standard itself, the machine when applied is much more firmly braced against any pressure or leverage on it than by any other arrangement. It' a lever-clamp is used, any pressure applied to the top of the machine has a tendency to spread the clamp and detach the apparatus. In this respect not only the mechanical advantage, but the economy and simplicity of my device are most apparent, for the opening c is made by simply cutting out the wood, the standard being left entire and forming a brace of itself.

Third. Bymaking thebevels ff small, I adapt this peculiarly-formed standard either to a curved or straight sided receptacle, which effect could not otherwise be produced without making the opening c so large that in fitting a straight side, the advantages before described could not be secured. By this arrangement the machine tits closely to either.

Fourth. The clamp G serves to tighten the machine to the tub, and being of curved form, as before described, this peculiar form also adapts it indiii'ercntly to a curved or straight sided receptacle. When tightened, it holds the machine in place without much strain coming on it, the strain applying principally upon the standards. When the tighteningscrews t' are loosed, the elastic strips h h draw the clamp back against the support b, so that it shall not be in the way in fitting the niachinc in place. The pins g gvguide the clamp in its forward and backward movements and hold it in place.

The combination and arrangement of these parts with the standards for holding the machine to the tub are believed to be new. Directly beneath the lower roller is situated an inclined board, D, occupying nearly the whole width ot' the standards, or more, it desired, the incline heilig such that the water that is expressed from the clothes and falling thereon will run back into the tub, while the clothes themselves will pass outward over the elevated end and be thrown clear of the tub outside. In ordinary devices the clothes as they are being' wrung are liable to fall beneath the rollers again and receive the expressed water falling on them, or are liable to fall insidethe tub to their follncr condition. By the use of this device I avoid any difliculty of the kind. It also prevents the expressed water running on the tloor. The journals of the upper adjustin g elastic roller, B', bear in sliding blocks ),r k, Fig. 1, resting, respectively, in depressions or grooves l l ot' the standards, of suitable length to allow the necessary adjustment. On top ot' each of these blocks is a rubber spring, in, and on these springs, extending from end to end, is a sliding follower, n, depressed by means ofacentral tightening screw, p, passing through a rigid support, r.

In all machines of this class with which I am acquainted, if springs are used at both ends, tightening-screws, or their equivalents, are also used at both ends; or, on the other hand, if a central screw, or its equivalent, is used, a central spring alone is also used. The

distinction in my invention consists in using springs at both ends anda screw in the center. There are several advantages resulting from this arrangement. It is evident that springs at both ends are more effective than a central one, since the reaction is direct at each end of the roller. Where a central spring is used, if the roller becomes considerably inclined, the elevated end loses in a great degree its power of resistance. Itis also as evident; that a central screw is most effective, for if used at both end each screw must be adjusted independently of the other, imposing extra labor, and rendering it diiiicult to adjust the roller evenly. In such case, also, the roller is not allowed to incline in either direction, so that if the clothes are thicker at one side than the other in passing through there can be no selt`- adjustment ot' the roller to them. It is frequently desirable to raise or depress the roller to allowhcavy or light clothes to pass through, which can be accomplished by one hand of the operator while the other is turning the crank, if a central screw is used, whereas it' used at each end the machine must be stopped to aecomplish the adjustment. A central screw acts as a t'ulcrum, allowing the roller to in eline in either direction automatically to adapt itself' to any inequality ofthe clothes.

In combining a central screw with springs at each end I secure all the advantages above described, producing the proper resistance at each end of the roller, and producing a universal adjustment ofthe same, and controlling it with one hand and without stopping the machine. I do not claim separately any of the parts herein described, as I am aware that various arrangements in connection with elastic pressure-rollers have before been employed; but

WhatI claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Letters, is-

The standards A A, provided with the straight and beveled openings o c, the curved clamp G, connected with the cross-support b, by the guide-pins g g, and elastic strips 7L h, and the tightening-screwsi t', the whole arranged, combined, and operatingsubstantally as and for the purpose herein set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in th presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HEMAN GLASS.

Witnesses:

H. WM. HALE, W. W. BEADLE. 

